The Hand We Are Dealt
by BarefootInThePark
Summary: Billy Darley wasn't born a cold-hearted killer, sometimes we just have to play the hand we are dealt. BillyOC
1. Chapter 1

___AN: This is my first Death Sentence story and takes place before the movie, I always thought there was much more of a back story to Billy._

* * *

_April 2007_

"Who is _that_?"

Cindy glanced up at Gina, the girl next to her, "Fuck, you really _are_ new around here. That," she motioned to the guys congregated around the pool table, "Is Billy Darley and his crew, he pretty much runs things around here."

"Runs things?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"Drugs mostly, debt collecting, other shit like that," Cindy shrugged, going back to cleaning glasses, "My brother works for him."

Gina nodded and fluffed her dyed red hair, "Single?"

"Billy? Hell no," Cindy laughed, both heads turned to the opening door and watched a dark-haired girl enter the bar, "That's Hartley Carter."

She smiled at Cindy as she passed them on her way to the group of guys and slipped her arms around Billy's waist before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and dropped a kiss on her forehead with a small smile.

Gina took in the newcomer - chestnut waves, pale skin, a pretty face and a decent rack were all she could see, "What makes her so special?" she asked with a snarl.

Cindy shrugged and smiled, "She's been good enough for Darley the past 7 years."

"Oh yeah?"

Glancing up from the shots she was pouring Cindy was getting a little weary of this chick, "Shit can get dangerous around here, people get suspicious when they get asked too many questions about things that ain't their business."

Gina pouted a little before she noticed one of Billy's crew heading towards the bar and let her eyes run over his short blonde hair and tattooed neck.

"Hey sis, we need another round," he called to Cindy before turning to her, raking his eyes over her body and sticking out his hand with a grin, "I'm Baggy."

* * *

Taking the opportunity of a break in the game Billy handed his cue to Bodie and looked down at his girl, "Where the hell you been?"

She shook her head and ran a hand through her hair, "Chelle was bitching me out about my schedule."

"Would you like me to kick anybody's ass?" he asked, his smile a little sadistic.

Hartley smiled softly, "No need, baby," she stretched up and pressed a kiss to his lips, "But thank you."

He smirked, slipping his arm from her shoulders to her lower back and giving her butt a squeeze with his large hand, "Good, cause I got a feelin' we'll be busy tonight."

"Yo dude, you playin' pool or your girl?" Bodie asked, gesturing to the table with his cue.

Billy chuckled, "Oh I'm about to school your ass, motherfucker," he downed one of the shots from Cindy's tray and grabbed the wooden stick from his friend, joining him at the table.

Hartley laughed at the boys, she could tell that they'd started drinking long before she had arrived, it was rare to see them this at ease and chilled out in public. Bones must have been happy with Billy's delivery earlier.

"Hey Hart, what can I get you?" Cindy asked when the boys had emptied her tray of whiskey.

The dark haired girl shrugged out of her leather jacket and pulled herself up onto a stool, "Come join me for a bit, I'm not going to get anything sensible out of these morons," she thumbed towards the boys.

Cindy glanced at the clock behind the bar and shrugged, "I'm due a break anyways."

"Who's the redhead?" Hartley asked, leaning her elbows on the small table between them and resting her chin on her hand.

"Oh, that's Gina, the new barmaid. She was asking all about Billy earlier," Cindy raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"All about him, huh?" Hartley laughed, "What'd you tell her?"

"That she's got a snowball in hell's chance."

Hartley nodded and followed the new barmaid's line of sign to Billy's ass as he bent over to take his shot, "It feels like every fucking week I have to mark my damn territory for these bitches," she rolled her hazel eyes and twisted a lock of hair around her finger.

"Sorry babe but you got your hands on the finest real estate around," Cindy smiled sympathetically.

Hartley scoffed, "Yeah, well."

"You could always just let Billy handle them?"

"He'd just shoot them in the head," Hartley grinned.

There was a yell from behind the bar and Cindy rolled her eyes, "Back to work," she slipped off of her stool, "Sure I cant get you anything?"

The other girl shook her head, "Nah, I'm alright. I get the feeling I might need to be designated driver in a while."

A couple of hours later and Bodie had joined Hartley at her table, having been thoroughly shown up at pool he'd decided to stick to drinking.

"So what's the haps Little Bit?" he asked, lolling his head in her direction.

Hartley shrugged, "Working, living, you know," she turned to smile at her friend and that little red-haired bartender caught her eye for the last time, "In fact, I've got a little job I need to do right now."

She dropped off her stool, grabbed her jacket and adjusted her loose grey tank top into the waistband of her jeans before making her way over to Billy. As she rounded the pool table she spotted the new girl watching, hopefully she'd get the message first time around and Hartley wouldn't have to address her personally like she had a few others over the years.

Perching her butt on the edge of the table she rested her hands on the green felt, "You boys done playin'?"

Billy smirked and handed his cue to Heco before placing a hand either side of her thighs and lowering his face to hers, "You got another game in mind, little girl?"

Hartley looked down and ran a finger along the top of his belt buckle, "Well," she looked up at him through her dark lashes, "Only two can really play."

"Oh really?" he quirked an eyebrow.

She nodded slowly and looked at the girl behind the bar, "I don't share."

Billy chuckled and leaned closer to her, "Well lucky for you, neither do I," he breathed against her lips.

"Jeez, would you guys get a room already?" Joe whined from somewhere behind them.

Billy tugged Hartley up from the table by her elbows and into his chest, "Who needs a room when we've got a whole fucking apartment?" he grinned, throwing his arm around her shoulders and walking away from the group.

"Don't fuck in my bed, you sick fucks!" Joe yelled after them as the guy's laughter followed them out the door of the Four Roses.

* * *

_Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome, thanks for reading_.


	2. Chapter 2

___AN: Thanks for all the interest in the story so far! Most of the action will take place in flashbacks as this story is kind of a retrospective look at Hartley and Billy's relationship and the events that turn them into the people they are around the time of the movie. As always I look forward to your reviews and let me know if the way the story is formatted is confusing or not._

* * *

_April 2007_

Hartley rubbed at her tired eyes and looked into the little mirror on top of her shabby wooden dressing table with a sigh, when had she gotten so old? She puffed her cheeks out with a quiet huff and ran her fingers over her temples, pulling the skin taught. Did other 24-year-old girls feel as worn and exhausted as she did?

Other 24-year-old girls didn't live with Billy Darley.

She looked over her shoulder at his large, still sleeping form sprawled face down across their bed, one tattooed arm tucked under his pillow and the other dangling off the edge of the mattress. Badass Gang Lord indeed.

* * *

_September 2000_

It was a little after two thirty on a rainy Tuesday afternoon when they first met in Frankie's. Hartley had only been working at the hair salon a couple of weeks having graduated high school and been instructed by her mother to get a job, and quickly. College had never been an option - girls like Hartley were to work and earn their keep until they found a guy (preferably _not_ a gang leader) and popped out a couple of kids.

The bell above the door rang and she glanced up from her doodling in the margins of the appointment book. Her hazel eyes met a pair of icy blues and a little jolt of electricity shot down her spine making her sit up a little straighter and wish she was wearing something more presentable than her faithful black jeans and an old plaid shirt.

"Your boss here?" he asked quietly.

Hartley swivelled around on her stool to call into the back of the store but Frankie, the salon owner, had already popped her head around the beaded curtain.

She brushed a lock of peroxide bleached hair out of her heavily made up eyes, "Come on through Billy," the glitter on her long fake nails sparkled under the fluorescent lighting.

All Hartley could feel as his tall frame stalked past her was the heat rising in her cheeks and she looked back down at the appointment book, hoping he hadn't noticed. She was thankful that the phone rang just as he reappeared a couple of minutes later and she could busy herself with something other than stare at his retreating form, or pretend to anyway. Frankie appeared at her shoulder and the two of them watched as he dropped into a beat up black Mustang and roared into the distance.

"Put your eyes back in your head sugar, girls like you don't need boys like him," she drawled.

* * *

_April 2007_

Hartley glanced into the mirror when she heard shuffling from the bed and watched Billy roll onto his back, the white sheet scrunching down to his waist, "What time is it?" he pushed himself up on one elbow and opened an eye.

"A little after eight," she went back to applying her mascara.

"Shit Hart, get your ass back into bed."

She looked at him through her mirror, his deep voice was extra gravely first thing in the morning and it made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, "Would if I could but I gotta get to work." He dropped back onto the pillows with a grumble and Hartley rolled her eyes at him as she twisted her long dark hair into a knot at the top of her head, "We got bills to pay, baby."

Billy grumbled incoherently again, flinging an arm across his eyes.

She shook her head at how childish he could be sometimes and pushed her tired body up from the little stool she was perched on. Wandering over to the bed she knelt on the mattress and swung one leg over his hips before she dropped down on his lap, "You think I'd rather cut and set some old lady's hair instead of hanging out in bed with you?"

He removed his arm from his eyes and peered up at her, his fingers wandered on to her denim clad hips and squeezed where he knew her skin would be tender from being pressed against the kitchen counter the night before, "I'll try and pick up some extra shit this week -"

"No," she cut him off with a shake of her head, "Any extra cash you guys make needs to go to Bones so that he's less likely to shoot your ass."

"You worried about my ass?" he grinned up at her and she could almost see the young man he used to be when they were teenagers, before the tattoos and the shaved head, before the scars - well, the physical ones anyway.

"I'm always worried about your ass."

* * *

_September 2000_

"Cind, this has bad idea written _all_ over it," a seventeen-year-old Hartley complained as she kneeled behind her friend and curled her long blonde hair.

"Lighten up Hart, you need to have some fun and I guarantee you this party will be fun. Besides you told your mom you were staying here tonight so it's not like you can go home."

The dark haired girl sighed, she had a point, "Alright just don't abandon me like you did last time."

"Scout's honour," Cindy laughed, holding up three fingers of her right hand.

Hartley smiled and stuck her tongue out at her friend in the mirror that stood at the end of the bed, "I mean it Cindy, the last time we went to some random ass party who got stuck in the corner with the dorkiest fucking dude there?"

"Alright, alright. We'll stick with Baggy and the guys and just hang out, okay? This party is older people anyway, none of that high school shit"

Hartley raised an eyebrow sceptically, "We'll see."

"A certain Darley will be there," her friend sang with a grin.

"Oh man, would you drop that already? I should never have asked you about him. Besides, I was only interested in what he would be doing in Frankie's."

Cindy held up her hands, "Hey, I'm not judging. Billy Darley is a fucking hottie. It also helps that he works for Marshall Quinn and has that mean and brooding thing down to a fine art."

Hartley shrugged as she finished curling the last straight section of her friend's hair, "It's not the wannabe gangster thing -"

"Oh, Billy's more than a wannabe. His dad, Bones, is the one Marshall works for so as soon as Billy is initiated he'll get his own corners to work and shit."

"Initiated?" Hartley asked and reached into her bag for a comb.

Cindy squirmed, not really sure what to tell her friend other than the truth, "He, uh, has to kill someone at random."

"Shit," Hartley stopped teasing Cindy's hair and sat back on her haunches.

Cindy nodded, "Kill or be killed I guess," she slid off her bed and wandered over to her closet, "Enough of the serious shit, we have to fix your outfit."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Hartley asked, looking down at her jeans and polka dot blouse.

"Oh sweetie, where do I start?"

Cindy spotted them first, congregated in the kitchen and within arms reach of the beer chilling in the sink full of cold water.

"Feeling really fucking self-conscious right now Cindy," Hartley mumbled in her ear. The blonde rolled her eyes and took her friend's hand leading her over to the group of guys. She had forced her into a pair of black jeans that hugged her short legs like a second skin and a dark green halter that dipped low at the back. Cindy had allowed the trainee hair stylist to fashion her own dark waves into a low side ponytail but had taken on the role of make-up artist and had enhanced Hartley's hazel eyes with a delicate sweep of pale gold shadow and a slick of black eyeliner.

"Hey big brother," Cindy grinned at Baggy when they reached the boys.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he huffed in annoyance, there was only an eighteen month age difference between them but it was enough for Cindy to excel at her position as annoying little sister.

She shrugged, "Just hanging out, it's a free fucking country right? This is my friend Hartley by the way," Cindy pulled the dark haired girl out from behind her and nudged her in the direction of the group, in the direction of Billy, "Hart you know my brother and this is Heco, Jamie, Tommy, Bodie and Billy."

"Hi," Hartley mumbled, nervously .

"Want a beer?" Bodie asked as he produced a bottle from the sink, he could tell she was going to need a little loosening up.

"God yes," Hartley said softly, a smile escaping.

The boys went back to whatever they had been talking about before the girls had arrived, something about carburetors and fuel consumption and Hartley and Cindy chattered away to each other. After devouring her first beer Hartley was starting to feel a little less tense and sneaked a look at Billy - tonight his short brown hair was as unruly as it had been the other day and his outfit of dark jeans and black t-shirt seemed similar too. It was his eyes she noticed, they weren't as cold as they had been when he came into the salon, they were still that beautiful clear blue but just a little less… dangerous.

"Jeez Hart, you made quick work of that," Cindy laughed, grabbing the empty bottle from her friend's hand and depositing it amongst the growing pile on the table behind her.

Baggy laughed, "It's always the quiet ones you have to watch."

Hartley shrugged, feeling a familiar heat in her cheeks, "Well, you guys were talking so damn much what else was I supposed to do?"

The group of boys burst into howls of laugher as Bodie reached into the sink and handed Hartley another bottle, "Oh I like you, little girl."

Billy turned to look down at her, "You're Frankie's new girl, right?" he asked.

She nodded and took a sip of her beer, "Yeah, been working there a couple of weeks."

"What's she like as a boss?" he asked.

Hartley smiled and looked up at him, "Okay I guess, why?"

He shrugged a shoulder at her, "She just seems kind of…"

"Insane?" she supplied.

"Yeah," he laughed and brought his bottle to his lips, "She always such a crazy bitch?" he fixed her with his icy blues.

"Not always, she's pretty harmless most of the time."

Suddenly Billy's relaxed demeanour vanished and his strong shoulders tensed under his flannel shirt, "It's a shame not everyone around here can be so harmless."

Hartley frowned as she followed his line of sight to a guy she had never seen before standing in the kitchen doorway. He was built but broader than Billy, shorter too with bleached blonde hair, dark eyes and what she could see of his muscular arms were stained with ink - a whole lot more than Billy's one tribal piece on his forearm.

"Who's he?" she asked.

"A guy you don't want to know," Billy's jaw set in a tight line as the burly blonde approached them.

Suddenly Baggy pulled Cindy behind him and Billy's arm wound around Hartley's waist, "Don't say a word," he said tightly, glancing down at her confused face.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

"What the fuck do you want Jake?" Billy growled.

The blonde smirked, "Oh you know, just checking out the fresh meat."

Hartley felt violated as his dark eyes scanned her body and suddenly wished she was wearing a hell of a lot more clothing. Her eyes met Cindy's, who was safely sandwiched between Baggy and the fridge, and she tried to force away the overwhelming urge to cry. Billy's arm tightened around her and pulled her into his chest.

"Nothing to check out here man," he stated, the tone in his voice daring the older man to challenge him.

Jake smiled and narrowed his eyes, "We'll see."

"Look, we're just tryin' to have a quiet evening a'ight J?" Bodie intervened in an attempt to break dome of the tension.

"Your bitch asses should be out workin' the streets not partying. One of these days Darley someone is going to knock you off your fucking perch and I hope its bloody. Enjoy your evening, _ladies._"

The group watched him walk away, the air around them suddenly old and uncomfortable.

"Can one of you take me and Hart home?" Cindy piped up from behind her brother.

"Sure," Bodie nodded, producing the keys to his Mustang from his coat pocket, "Come on little girl," he motioned towards Hartley.

She hung back as the rest of the guys slipped back into conversation and looked up at Billy's hard face, "Well, uh thanks for saving me I guess," she smiled sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it," he spoke softly, realising he was still clutching her waist and dropped his arm.

Somehow Hartley had known then that it wouldn't be the last time she would need to be saved by Billy Darley.


	3. Chapter 3

___AN: Hello to our new readers, thanks for taking the time to read my story. I promise I am going to try and update more regularly and sooner than every 2 weeks or so. As always thank you for reading, I look forward to you all reading this chapter and letting me know what you think in your reviews!_

* * *

_October 2000_

After the events of the party Hartley didn't see Billy for a while, he didn't even show up to collect Frankie's monthly protection payment - one of Marshall's other guys had appeared a couple of days ago. So it was somewhat of a surprise when as she was closing up alone one night the chime above the door rang and a certain Mr Darley was blown in with the bitter November wind.

"We're closed," Hartley clutched her broom and tried to portray a lot more bravery than she felt.

"Should have locked your fucking door," he rasped.

"What do you want?"

He turned from locking the door behind him and drawing the blind over the glass in the door, "I need a little help and I figured you owed me one."

It was then she took a proper look at him - she had noticed his wild blue eyes but now she could see the blood. There was so much of it - in his short hair, smeared across his cheek, on his white shirt, his leather jacket. It was everywhere.

"I can't help if you're hurt," she spoke softly.

He smirked, "It ain't me that's hurting."

"Jesus Christ Billy, I don't see you for weeks and then you show up here - where I work and want me to help clean someone else's blood off of you?" Hartley cried, throwing her broomless hand in the air.

The older boy shrugged, "Pretty much."

"Can't one of your gang help you out?"

"Nah, this place was closer. Can't really be wanderin' round the streets looking like this," he slid his arms out of his jacket and slung it on the back of one of the chairs.

It was then she noticed just how cut up his knuckles were and the tiny wince on his face as he moved his hands. He walked over to one of the hair washing sinks and reached over to turn on the water.

"Don't, you'll get blood everywhere," Hartley muttered as she took his elbow and steered him towards the little bathroom in the back. She turned on the tap and nudged him in front of the sink, going to the cabinet in the corner to retrieve the first aid kit. Without a word she ripped the top off an alcohol wipe, took his bloody hand in her own clean one and dabbed at his split skin.

"Shit," he pulled his hand away, "What the fuck are you doing?"

She looked at him incredulously, "Cleaning your busted knuckles."

"That hurts more than it did when I busted 'em."

"Well I'm sorry a little fucking disinfectant is more painful that some guy's face," she put a hand on her hip.

Billy blew on his knuckles in an attempt to dull the sting and looked at Hartley, even after a long day in the salon and with that scolding frown on her pretty face he still thought she was hot as hell.

"What are you grinning at?" she grumbled.

He shook his head, "Nothing," he said quietly and shoved his hand at her, "You going to fix me up or what?"

She worked quietly, and a little gentler, until his knuckles were clean and band-aided, "What about your face?"

"What about it?" Billy asked with a smirk.

Hartley rolled her eyes and tossed the band aid wrappers and bloodied alcohol wipes in the trash, "Is it your blood or his?"

He brought his good hand up to his cheek, "His."

"Jeez Billy," she sighed and pushed her hair off of her face with the back of her hand, "Why did you come here?"

He shrugged, "I knew you'd help me."

"But, why? 'Cause of the Jake thing?"

He shrugged again, "No, I just… this was the closest place and I knew you wouldn't call the cops or whatever."

She busied herself with opening another alcohol wipe and reached up to clean the blood off his face, it was indeed all the other man's. Suddenly she realised just how close they were - the bathroom was pretty small and they had been squashed together at the sink for the last fifteen minutes or so, she was also acutely aware of how the temperature seemed to have rapidly risen.

"Um," she looked down, tearing her eyes from his in an attempt to remove some of the unexpected intimacy, "You should try and keep those bandages dr-"

"You busy tonight?" Billy questioned softly.

Hartley thought for a second, her mother was working late and her baby brother was at his grandmother's so she would be home alone with Murray, her mom's husband. She bristled at the thought and shook her head apprehensively, "No."

"Wanna… do something?" he asked.

She frowned and scrunched up the last of the trash, she had heard about his reputation and did not want to be another notch on his bedpost, "What kind of something?"

He smiled, "Just a party."

"That wasn't so successful last time," she rubbed her eyebrow, suddenly very tired.

"It won't be like last time, that asshole won't be there. Only my boys will be there and you don't have to worry about them," he moved his hand to touch her elbow but seemed to realise what he was doing before he made contact and let his arm drop down by his side.

Hartley looked down at herself, "I look like shit," she didn't dress up for work - a loose navy striped shirt, jeans that reached her slim ankles with a little turned up cuff and yellow Converse were the first thing she has found in her closet that morning.

Billy smirked, "You couldn't look like shit if you tried."

She scoffed and raised an eyebrow then pointed at his bloodied shirt, "Yeah? Well, you can't exactly party wearing someone else's bodily fluids."

He looked down at the spatter staining the cotton and shrugged, "I've got a spare in the car."

* * *

"So who's party is this again?" Hartley asked as they pulled up outside a small house with people spilling out of it onto the front lawn.

Billy cut the engine and threw open his door, taking a last drag of his cigarette, "I got no clue."

"Great," she muttered to herself as she pushed her own door open only to be met by his outstretched hand. He helped her out of his Mustang, the passenger door creaking shut behind her, and kept a gentle hold of her much smaller hand as they crossed the damp grass and climbed the handful of steps to the open front door. Billy paused for a second, his form filling the frame. Hartley wasn't sure if he was looking for someone or subtly announcing his presence. Peeking around his arm she spotted Bodie and a couple of other guys from the last party she attended and so far no Jake, thankfully.

"Darley get your ass over here!" Bodie yelled from the couch, beer in one hand and cigarette in the other.

Billy squeezed her hand faintly and sloped towards his best friend with a grin, "What's up brother?" he asked as he slapped Bodie's outstretched palm with his own.

"Just chillin'," the other man smiled, quite happy with his spot between two hot girls with a cold beer in his hand, "Didn't know you were bringing a little friend."

Billy shrugged and held up his bandaged hand, "Nurse Hartley here patched me up, figured I owed her a beer."

"Hey Bodie," she piped up with a little wave, she had decided she liked him and thought it couldn't hurt to have another gang member on side if Jake ever showed again.

He looked between her and his best friend with a knowing smile, "Hey little girl, good to see you again."

"We're going to grab some beers," Billy gently tugged Hartley in the direction of the kitchen, he didn't like the glint that had suddenly appeared in his best friend's eye.

"So you glad you didn't go home?" he asked as he pulled two bottles from the fridge. Luckily the kitchen was empty, he wanted to stay away from Bodie and the inevitable teasing he was going to receive for bringing her.

Hartley accepted hers and twisted off the top, "I'm not sure yet," she leaned against the counter and took a mouthful of beer.

"Oh really?" Billy asked with a laugh as he came to stand against the kitchen island opposite her, slipping a cigarette and lighter out of his pocket.

She shrugged, "My mom's working and my baby brother is at his grandma's so there's nowhere I need to be."

"It just the three of you?" he asked around his cigarette.

She shook her head, "My mom's married," she took another, larger, mouthful of beer, "We don't get on."

He nodded thoughtfully, "I get that."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, my dad and I don't exactly see eye to eye."

"Oh, any brothers or sisters?" Hartley realised that she didn't actually know anything personal about Billy. Sure Cindy had filled her in on the gang side of things but she didn't know anything else about him.

He smiled, "Yeah I got a little brother, Joe."

She couldn't help but mirror his expression, it was sweet to see some sort of affection cross his usually guarded face, "You guys close?"

"Yeah. What about your brother?"

"Dylan is two-years-old, he's a little cutie," she beamed, "God, I sound like some proud mother," she laughed and took another pull of her beer, not taking any notice as the wide neck of her shirt slipped off of her shoulder.

"Are those bruises?" Billy asked as he stood up straight and brushed away the thin fabric with his fingertips.

Hartley stopped laughing and fixed her shirt, "It's nothing, I'm just so clumsy around the salon."

"I know what marks a hand makes," he raised both his eyebrows and gently flexed his right hand.

She reached out to fix one of the bandages, "Be careful, you'll mess up all my good work," she smiled shyly up at him, hoping he would drop the subject.

Billy placed his good hand on the cabinet above her shoulder and unconsciously leaned closer to her pretty face, "No one should be hurting you, alright? And if they are I can make 'em stop."

"Of that I have no doubt," Hartley breathed.

"Good."

They stayed like that for a good few minutes just looking at each other, studying the other's face. Billy couldn't get over how pretty and delicate her little face was, yet it was expressive as hell. He smirked as he remembered just earlier that night when she was yelling at him for coming to the salon and all he could think about was how fucking hot she was and if she got that worked up over other things.

Hartley couldn't take it anymore, him towering over her with his icy blue eyes, she tilted her head and pushed herself a little away from the counter. Without thinking she placed her lips over his and she was kissing him. It felt as if they were in slow motion as Billy's hand swept into her long hair, cupping the back of her head and Hartley's hands went to his chest, resting on the soft cotton of the plaid shirt he hand thrown on over his bloody t-shirt. He surprised her by caressing her lips softly and slowly with his own, making her knees a little weak. She had always thought he would be one of those brutal kissers - someone that left lips bruised and swollen.

Not that she had thought about kissing Billy Darley.


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: Hey everyone, thanks as always for reading and I promise with the next chapter will come the new, more regular schedule! Please let me know what you think about Billy and Hartley's story so far in your reviews - they really spur me on to write faster!_

* * *

_April 2007_

Billy was still slouched in bed by mid-morning, his work day started a little later than his better half's. he had intended to just sit there a while longer before facing Bones when the buzz of his cell phone on the bedside table shook him out of his daze.

"Yeah?" he questioned around the cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth.

Bodie's voice came down the line, "Yo, Heco's not covering his fuckin' patch man."

"Where the fuck is he?"

His friend sighed, "I don't know man."

They both knew he was probably high as a kite in some shitty apartment somewhere.

Billy untangled his long legs from the sheets and swung them over the side of the bed, "Fuck," he sighed, "I'll get down there. Make sure the rest of the boys are working their fucking asses off! I'm sick of this shit."

He snapped his cell phone shut and launched it across the small room where it landed in the corner with a clatter. It was easy for the rest of the guys - if they fucked up he was there to pick up their slack because he had to - it was him that had to face Bones at the end of every week. It was him who had his father brandishing a gun at him and he was never totally sure that he wouldn't pull the trigger. It was his girl Bones threatened to take 'alternative payment' from if they didn't make their quota.

Running a hand over his scalp he rested his elbows on his knees and sighed. The morning had started off pretty nicely, albeit a little too early, just hanging out with Hartley in bed and now he had a sudden Heco-shaped headache that he knew wasn't going to disappear anytime soon.

And to think there had been a time when all of this gang stuff excited him.

* * *

_November 2002_

Hartley stood in front of Billy with the clippers in her hand and a sceptical look on her face, "Are you sure about this baby?"

"Yeah," he took a last drag from his cigarette and stubbed it out on the ashtray on the bathroom counter.

Tonight was the big one, at the ripe age of twenty he was to be officially initiated, and the tension flooded their tiny apartment.

"Alright," Hartley took a deep breath and took the guard off the end of her clippers and flicked them on as Billy took a perch on the edge of the bathtub.

The electric buzz of the razor was the only noise that came from the bathroom as Hartley meticulously removed his already short dark hair.

"Shit," she breathed when she was done.

"What?" he frowned.

Hartley let her eyes roam over her boyfriend of two years, "I thought I already had a hard enough time keeping bitches off of you, they're just gonna get worse now."

"Come here," Billy chuckled as he reached for her hips and pulled her in front of him, his hands slipping under the hem of her shirt to rest on her soft skin, "You got nothin' to worry about little girl," he smiled softly as he looked up at her hazel eyes.

She tipped her head back, her long hair spilling over her shoulders and sighed, "You say that _now_."

He stood up quickly and took her face between his large hands and kissed her deeply, smothering her mouth with his own, knocking the wind out of her.

"Be careful," she breathed when they parted.

Billy grinned and ran his hands through her hair, studying her face, "I'll see you in a couple hours," he dropped a kiss on the top of her head, "I love you."

Despite what he was about to do Hartley couldn't help but smile as she watched him grab his leather jacket and walk out of the apartment. Of course he would tell her he loves her for the first time just before he went out to kill someone, that was the Darley way.

* * *

_April 2007_

Leaning back against the Mustang, legs crossed at the ankles and a freshly lit cigarette in the corner of his mouth Billy watched his girl across the street through the large plate glass window that made up most of the façade of the salon . She had her back to him, standing behind one of her regular old ladies, but he could still see her hands waving around as she told some story or other. She always seemed to make up for her petite stature with her flailing limbs. He took a deep drag of his cigarette and exhaled slowly, most people thought he was insane - the police, his customers, the average Jo who walked past him on the street. They didn't know that in a strange way he was perfectly balanced - he had all the bad: the drugs, the killing, the hate and then he had Hartley. If he ever lost her or his brother… then he'd show them some insanity.

The sudden sound of her voice broke him out of his thoughts, "Hey bubba, fancy meeting you here," she smiled as she crossed the quiet street.

His eyes followed the sway of her hips as she walked towards him, he didn't understand how she could stand to be in heels all day long but the way they made her hips swing that little bit extra, damn.

"I thought I'd be nice and pick you up from work," he smirked and tossed his cigarette butt onto the tarmac.

"Oh really?" she cocked an eyebrow and slid her hands under his leather jacket, stretching up to peck his lips, "It sounds like you want something."

He laughed as he turned her around, resting his forearms on the roof of the car, either side of her head, "Well, I always want _something_," he pressed his hips against hers.

Hartley smirked up at him, "Why are you really here?"

He dipped his head with a sigh, "Killing time."

"Not been to see Bones yet?" she asked with a sympathetic look.

"Nope," he ran a hand over his head.

She reached out and took his hand, "It's still early."

He nodded and brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles.

"Damn Darley, aren't you worried about ruining your rep?" she grinned at him, looking around the empty street dramatically.

He chuckled, "Fuck no, it'll take a lot more than being with my girl in public to do that."

"Oh, hey," she reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out an envelope, "Marshall sent me a visit request."

Billy nodded, "You gonna go?"

"I think so," she shrugged and looked down at the paper in her hands, "I still feel responsible."

He sighed, "How many times Hart -"

"'It wasn't your fault'," she imitated his much deeper voice, "I know Billy but I can't say no if he wants to see me."

"Sure you can," he shrugged.

She shook her head, "You know I can't. Marshall was good to us for a long time and one day he'll be back and you'll need him on side."

Billy slid a fresh cigarette out of the pack in his pocket and pointed the filter end at her, "Sometimes you're too goddamn smart for your own good."

"I'm just tryin' to make this shitty situation as smooth as possible."

He looked up from lighting his smoke, "Yeah? Well you can't polish a turd."

Hartley screwed her face up in disgust, "Ew Billy, do you really gotta go there?" she stepped out from under him and pulled open the passenger door of the black Mustang, "What happened to taking me home?"


	5. Chapter 5

___AN: Sorry it has taken so long to update! Looking forward to you guys' feedback, thanks for sticking with the story!_

* * *

_January 2001_

Since his surprise visit to the salon around three months ago Billy and Hartley had spent a lot of time together, a fact she hadn't missed but the thought of bringing it up with him made her feel a little sick. As was now the norm on a Friday night they were headed to some party at someone's apartment and for once Hartley didn't feel nervous. Maybe it was the new fairly low-cut shirt Cindy had persuaded her to buy the other day or maybe it was the way Billy's arm snaked around her hips and made her feel safe.

As with every party Billy and his boys (and their various girls) all ended up in the kitchen, drinking and laughing. There was a sudden influx of older men around 2am and Hartley looked to Billy to see if this was going to be similar to the first night they met but the taller boy had a relaxed smile on his face. She followed his eye line to the guy that seemed to be the centre of things - he was tall and muscular with a chiselled jaw line. Between his carefully slicked down hair and dark leather jacket he oozed power and control.

"And who do we have here?" he asked as he approached the group, his deep brown eyes flicking over Hartley.

She chanced a glance at Billy and saw what she thought was a rather proud smile as his hand squeezed her hip, "This is my girl, Hartley. Hart this is Marshall Quinn."

Everything slotted into place now - this guy was Billy's boss, the guy who was grooming him to take over his role as gang leader one day.

"So you're the little firecracker makin' our Billy boy so happy recently, huh?" the older man chuckled as he clapped Billy's shoulder with his large hand.

She blushed, "I better be," she added quietly.

Marshall roared with laughter, "I like her, you better take care of her Darley, make sure she sticks around. We could use some honest women keeping you boys in check."

"I'll try my best," Billy laughed.

Hartley smiled and rolled her eyes. It was so nice to see Billy enjoying himself for a change - sometimes he carried too much stress and trouble around in his head and on his shoulders for an 18-year-old boy. She loved the smile that split his handsome face and the way his beautiful blue eyes twinkled like the ocean when he was messing around with the boys in his inner circle. She was starting to realise how lucky she was that he let her get as close as they had so quickly.

While Billy, Marshall and some of the boys chatted she noticed the people in the room looking over with what she thought was envy - she guessed that in this neck of the woods the drug dealers and gang lords were the ones that lived the high life - the ones that had some power over other people, the ones with the money, the ones with the connections. Sometimes she wished they were from a regular neighbourhood where people were jealous of the neighbour's new car or the promotion and pay rise of the lawyer next door rather than who had managed to sell the most meth that evening or who had survived the longest without a gunshot wound.

It wasn't much later when Hartley was in Billy's Mustang, parked across the street from her house.

She turned in her seat to face Billy, "So, earlier when you told Marshall I was your girl…"

He shrugged, "Well that's what you are, right?"

"Right," she beamed.

"Why do I get the feelin' I'm getting myself into something here?" Billy asked with a smile on his face.

Hartley raised an eyebrow and grinned, "At least you hope you're getting yourself into something."

He barked a laugh and shrugged, "Boys gotta try."

"I've got one rule," she held up a finger.

"Oh really," he drawled with a cocky smiled.

She edged a little closer to him, "No other girls."

He studied her pretty face for a minute and smiled slowly, "No other girls."

"Promise?" she asked.

Billy reached up and drew an x on his chest with his finger, "Cross my heart," he grinned.

Hartley leaned forwards and pressed her lips to his, pulling away just as he slid his hand onto her knee.

"See you later," she grinned, pushing herself out of his car and darting across the street to her house.

* * *

She couldn't help but smile to herself as she closed her bedroom door behind her.

"What in the hell time do you call this?"

Hartley spun from the door, jumping as her bedroom was suddenly flooded with light, and saw her step-father occupying the deep pink armchair next to the window, "Jesus Christ Murray, what's your problem? What the hell are you doing in here?"

He stood up, "What's my problem? My problem is your slutty ass stayin' out til all hours of the morning with God knows who, doing fuck knows what!"

She scoffed and stepped further into her room, "Since when did you give a _shit_ about my personal safety? You're usually the one endangering it!"

The buzz from the couple of beers she had had earlier gave her a sudden burst of confidence at a rather inappropriate and unhelpful time.

"You remember who you're talking to, little girl."

"Don't call me that," she yelled at the sound of one of Billy's terms for her, "It's not like you're my fucking father anyway!"

Murray's eyes flashed with rage, "Damn right I'm not your daddy. No daughter of mine would be running around and whoring herself out to a bunch of dumbass gang bangers," he spat.

"I'm not a whore," Hartley cried.

He walked towards her and sneered, "Just you keep telling yourself that sweetheart. You think this guy thinks you're somethin' special, huh? Somethin' special?" He continued to advance on her but she was frozen to the spot, "He'll get what he wants and once you spread those pretty little legs he'll want nothin' to do with you no more. He'll pass you around all his little friends and then you'll be done. All used up until some poor schmuck comes along and takes pity on your sorry ass."

"No," she shouted and like an out of body experience she watched as her own hand came up and slapped his cheek so hard his head snapped to the right making the palm of her hand sting.

If he had seemed angry before he shot to a whole new realm of fury now. Quickly his head turned back to her and his own much bigger hand met her face, the heavy ring he wore tearing the skin under her right eye. His fists clenched at his sides, "You think you can just get away with that shit, huh? Think you can treat me like you treat your mother?

"You're the one that treats her like shit!"

It was like someone else had taken control of her body, Hartley guessed hanging around with Billy was starting to pay off at exactly the wrong time.

"Treat her like shit? I think I did a pretty nice thing takin' her and her _bastard_ teenage kid in, putting a roof over your head. Where the fuck's your _real_ daddy, huh? Banged up or sittin' shit faced at some bar, lucky son of a bitch," he reached forward and pushed her shoulders, hard.

Hartley winced as she made contact with the dresser behind her.

"Maybe that's why you like it so much with that Darley punk. He remind you of dear ol' dad?" Murray placed a hand either side of her head against the wall and leaned his face close to hers, "You think you're so _fuckin'_ special - little butter wouldn't melt Hartley Carter. You're just like the rest of them, you're gonna let him knock you up and wear you down and you'll be stuck in this shithole for the rest of your sorry _little_ life," he seethed through clenched teeth.

She shook her head, hands braced on the dresser against the weight of his body on her smaller one, and cursed the tiny whimper that slipped from her mouth, "No."

Murray tilted his head and grinned, "No?"

Hartley shook her head again and tore her watery eyes from the spot on the carpet she had been focussed on to meet his dark gaze, "No," this time she spoke firmly.

He opened his mouth but before any words could escape he gasped, dropped his hands from the wall and staggered backwards, "Little bitch."

* * *

Billy sat in his Mustang and watched Hartley dash across the street and up the half dozen stone steps to her front door, turning briefly to wave before she disappeared into the dark house. He slipped his phone out of his pocket and dialled Bodie's number, tapping his thumb on the steering wheel as he waited for his best friend and right hand man to pick up. A sudden light from across the street caught his eye and he glanced up to see Hartley's bedroom at the front of the house illuminated and that punk ass stepfather of hers standing with his back to the window. He flipped his phone shut and jumped from the car just in time to see his girlfriend's hand make contact with the older man's face.

"Fuck."

He ran across the street and threw his tall frame at the front door, expecting it to swing open with a twist of the handle. God damn it, why was she always locking doors behind her? Billy stood on the porch for a second and tried to think, what had she said that time she had snuck out and forgotten her key? He caught sight of the large stone planter in the corner and tilted it back, plucking the small silver key from underneath it. His hands fumbled with it in the lock, cursing as it almost slipped from his fingers, finally he clicked the door open and slipped through before closing it behind him again.

Quickly and quietly he made it up the wooden stairs and down the hallway until he came to her bedroom door and threw it open.

"Shit."

Billy couldn't believe what he was seeing. Hartley was standing in front of her dresser with her hands clutched in front of her and a look of terror on her face. He followed her gaze to the man lying on the floor between them, a pair of scissors protruding from his chest and dark crimson blood seeping into the cotton of his shirt.


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: Apologies for the delay! As always, thank you for reading and sticking with Billy and Hartley. I added dates to the previous chapter so that it is a little easier to see how the story plays out (I was getting confused so I don't know how I thought you guys were following it!)_

* * *

_January 2001_

Not knowing what else to do Billy had called Marshall. When the older man showed up Hartley was sitting on the top step of the staircase, her chin in her hands and her elbows on her knees, staring into space. Billy wasn't even sure she noticed when he and the gang lord walked past her.

"She did this?" Marshall asked as he stepped into Hartley's bedroom. His large, masculine frame looked completely out of place in amongst her feminine clutter and the stuffed animals loitering on the end of her bed.

Billy nodded, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms.

"Fuck man, don't let her catch you cheatin' she'll cut your fuckin' balls off," Marshall chuckled and made a snipping motion with his tattooed fingers.

Billy shifted uncomfortably and rubbed a hand across the back of his neck, "What do we do?"

"_You_ do nothing, Jake's on his way. Anyone coming back to this house tonight?"

"Nah, her mom's working til 10 in the morning and the kid's with a sitter," Billy told his boss.

Marshall ran a hand across his stubbly jaw, "Alright, you pack up some of her shit and take her to your place," he walked out of the room and into the hall, "I gotta have a little chat with your girl."

* * *

"Something tells me you're scared shitless right now?"

Hartley blinked as Marshall dropped down next to her and it seemed to take a lot of effort for her to swivel her eyeballs in the large man's direction.

"Your boy and I will handle it, don't worry about anything."

"I didn't mean to do it, I just… before I knew it he was _right there _and I just, I just," she made a stabbing motion with her hand.

He waved a dismissive hand, "You don't gotta explain yourself to me sweetheart, to be honest you did the motherfucker a favour by takin' him out before Billy and me got to him."

She nodded, "What am I going to tell my mom?"

"She'll come home, find that the asshole and all his shit is gone. If she asks, you came home and grabbed some clothes to stay at Billy's. You weren't here long enough to notice anything was different. Men like him get skittish real easy so if she's got any brains she won't be too surprised or suspicious," Marshall explained.

Hartley nodded again, "You sound like you've done this before."

He chuckled, "Yeah, well this is the first time I'm cleanin' up after a 17-year-old girl, I'll tell you that."

As she dropped her head to her chest, Marshall hooked a finger under her chin and gently forced her face up to look at him, "You did the right thing, kid. Ain't none of it going to blow back on you or your family, you got my word on that."

She blinked her watery eyes and nodded slowly.

A throat cleared behind them and Billy's voice met her ears, "Ready to go?"

Marshall stood up and made his way back up the stairs, "Make sure you get her face cleaned up," he commanded Billy on his way past the younger man.

Hartley looked up at her boyfriend as he hovered above her, "I'm sorry."

"You got nothin' to apologise for baby," with a hastily packed duffel bag over his shoulder he reached down with his free hand and gentle gripped her elbow, guiding her to her feet, "Let's get you home."

They made it to Billy's little run down building a dozen or so blocks away without any trouble and he silently ushered her up the three flights of stairs to his tiny one bed apartment. As he locked the door behind them Hartley stood in the short hallway, not really sure what to do with herself.

"You wanna take a shower? Lay down? Eat?"

She shook her head, his voice sounded muffled, as if it was far away in the distance.

Billy let her duffel bag fall off his shoulder and onto the floor as he pressed his hand against the small of her back and slowly maneuvered her motionless body around so that they were facing each other.

"You gotta talk to me baby," he said softly.

She blinked, "I just… can we, just I don't know," she shrugged, "I just want to forget tonight even happened."

He looked down into her pretty hazel eyes, he'd never seen them so empty before and if he was being honest, it scared him.

"Sure," he nodded, "We'll get you cleaned up and then we'll get some sleep, okay?"

She nodded, "Okay."

They shuffled silently towards the bathroom where Billy carefully cleaned the cut on her face and applied a few butterfly closures to it rather than risking a visit to the hospital for some stitches. They were silent as they moved through to his bedroom where he produced some sweatpants and a shirt for Hartley to change into.

Billy took the opportunity to escape to the tiny kitchen area and plucked a bottle of Jack from on top of the fridge and downed a few mouthfuls, he needed something to help make this evening make sense. His girl had just murdered a man twice her size and more than twice her age, and now she was just going to crash at his crappy apartment like any other night after a party. Billy was starting to wish he could have convinced her to come here a few hours ago but she had wanted to go home so she could get to work in the morning. But how was she going to do that now?

He couldn't help but think that all of this would have been easier if he'd looked up seconds earlier. His lot in life was already decided – he was going to be a _bad _guy – he already had most of the boxes ticked, murderer wouldn't make any difference to him but Hartley? She was as innocent as they came and he had never thought about it before tonight but he wanted to keep her as innocent as she could be with him in her life, it was up to him to keep her as untainted as possible and he had failed.

Slipping the bottle back to its home he sloped round to his bedroom doorway and took a deep breath as he crossed the threshold. Hartley was lying on her side, knees pulled up to her chest and her hands folded neatly next to her pretty face, he suspected it was as peaceful as he was going to see her for a while – tonight's repercussions were going to be mighty on his precious little girl. Billy rubbed his large hand over his stubbly face and through his short dark hair – when had he turned into such a pussy? Before he met Hartley he had a slew of girls sniffing around him and he liked it, the lack of commitment, the constant fawning and ego boosting, it was free and easy and just how he liked it. Then Miss Carter had stumbled into his life and he hadn't looked back.

Quietly Billy stripped down to his boxers and flicked his bedroom light off before maneuvering over to the bed where he slipped in behind Hartley. Taking her much smaller hand in his own he wrapped his arm across her chest and pulled her body flush against his, determined that she would never need to repeat an incident like that night ever again.


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N Apologies for the delay in updating! Thanks for sticking with the story, as always reviews are welcome._**

* * *

_April 2007_

Hartley sunk back into the passenger seat of the Mustang, Billy needed to make a detour on the way home that brought them right around her old neighbourhood. They were parked a couple of streets away from the house where she had last lived with her mother – her first home in South Carolina – a place she never particularly wanted to visit again after that fatefully night six years ago.

* * *

_February 2001_

In the weeks after Murray's demise Hartley had managed to spend most of her nights between Billy's bed and a blow-up mattress on Cindy's bedroom floor, the last place she wanted or needed to be was her mother's house.

She trudged up the stairs one night after work, with Billy out on a job and Cindy staying at her grandmother's for the weekend, it was her only option. Flinging the wooden door open she was met with a hallway full of cardboard boxes.

"Mom?" she yelled into the house.

The peroxide-enhanced blonde head of Tina Carter poked out of the doorway to the living room, "What? For God sakes Hart you weren't born in a barn, close the damn door!"

"What's with all the boxes, ma?"

Entering the living room Hartley found her mother knee-deep in more boxes and packing materials.

"Moving, cancelled the lease and we're getting out of this hellhole," Tina stated as she wrapped newspaper around the plates stacked on the coffee table in front of her.

Hartley blinked, "What? When? And where? What about your job?"

"Murray fucking off made me think why the hell we ever came here in the first place. We're movin' back to Pittsburgh," her mother placed her hands on her hips as if that was the end of the matter.

"But, what if I don't wanna move?" Hartley asked feebly, still trying to process this sudden turn in events.

Tina stepped around the mess of their belongings and placed her hand on her daughter's arm, "I know you have your life here now but this ain't exactly Beverly Hills darlin' there'll be other hair salons, god knows Frankie's isn't the be all and end all. And you can keep in touch with Cindy and your friends."

Hartley just blinked a couple of times and tried to keep up with what her mother was saying but her brain was only half listening.

"And there'll be other boys, I know you think you and Billy have somethin' special goin' on but you're only seventeen years old baby, trust me you don't know what or who you want yet."

She shook her head, "I can't just up sticks and leave, I'm finally settled here and there's nothing for me back in Pittsburgh."

Tina sighed, "I thought you might say that," she ran a hand through Hartley's long dark hair, "You're eighteen in a coupla months and hell, you've behaved like an adult since you were knee-high," her eyes were suddenly shiny, "I can't make you do something you don't want, I just want what's best for you baby, I trust you to make that decision on your own."

"Okay," Hartley nodded.

"Although I don't know what Dylan's going to do without his big sister," her mother smiled, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill.

The younger woman smiled softly, "Where is the little guy?"

"Up in his room, didn't wanna upset him anymore than I have to."

Hartley nodded, "Okay, I'll go check on him."

Tina ran a finger under her eye to catch the dark mascara-laced tears, "Sure thing honey and I left some boxes outside your room, didn't wanna go rummagin' through your things."

"Thanks ma."

* * *

When she finished up at Frankie's the next day she spotted a familiar Mustang parked out front and felt a flutter of butterflies in her stomach as she crossed the street. Billy stood up from where he had been slouched against the side of his car and took one last pull from his cigarette before tossing it to the side.

"Hey," she smiled tightly, kissing him softly.

"Hey, how was bein' home last night?"

Hartley shrugged and shook her head, "My mom's moving back to Pittsburgh."

"What? Why?"

She pushed her hands into the pockets of her coat and scuffed the toe of her boot on the ground, "She's got no reason to stay here anymore."

"Shit."

Hartley reached up and roughly brushed the lone tear on her cheek away, "It's all my fault."

Billy grabbed her arms in his hands and bent down to her eye level, "No, none of it is your fault Hart. What else could you have done? Let that sick fuck attack you, rape you? What if it wasn't you who got him pissed off – what if it was your brother? Or your mom that he lashed out at? You were _protecting_ your family."

She sniffed and looked away from him as more tears ran down her face, "I don't know what I was doing."

"You got good instincts, that's why," he said matter of factly.

They were silent for a few minutes as Hartley calmed herself down and wiped the last of the moisture from her face.

"What about you?" Billy asked.

She frowned and turned to face him, "What about me?"

He shrugged, "If your mom's leaving does that mean you are too?"

"No," she shook her head, "I 'm staying, guess I should start looking for someplace to live."

"Come stay with me," Billy stated more than asked.

Hartley opened her mouth and closed it again before she finally spoke, "I didn't mean –"

"I want you to stay with me."

"Are you sure? I can probably afford my own little place, you don't need to feel like cause we're together or whatever you have to take me in," Hartley reasoned.

Billy shook his head, "You couldn't afford rent and bills on the shitty money Frankie gives you. I'm sure I want you to live with me but it sounds like you're tryin' to talk me out of it," he dropped his hands from her arms and leaned back against the Mustang.

"No, no," she shook her head, "I just don't want you to feel like you have to do something you don't want to," she gripped the front of his jacket and stood on her tip toes to kiss his slightly pouted lips, "I'd love to move in with you."

* * *

When they pulled up to Hartley's place her mom was packing boxes into her beat up Chevy Blazer.

"Can you give us a second?" Hartley asked Billy as she stepped out of the Mustang.

He nodded as he leant against the hood of the car and slid a cigarette out of the pack in his hand.

"It ain't too late to come with us you know," Tina quirked an eyebrow, resting her hands on her slim hips as she watched her daughter approach up the little grassy mound in front of the house.

Hartley shook her head and motioned around them, "My job is here and my friends are here –"

"And Billy's here," her mother finished what she knew her daughter didn't want to say out loud, "There's more to life than boys, darlin' I thought you knew that?"

"I do," Hartley nodded and pushed her hands into her jacket pockets sheepishly, "But I trust him and, I love him. I'm movin' into his apartment," she said softly.

Her mom sighed and placed a hand on each of Hartley's cheeks, their hazel eyes meeting, "I want this to be perfect for you I really do baby, but you gotta know why I'm concerned? Livin' with a man is a big step."

She nodded, "I know, but you have to trust me."

'_He __looked __after __me __after __I __killed __your __husband_,' she added internally.

"Hey, Darley," Tina called over to Billy.

He jogged over to the Carter women, the chain dangling from his jeans pocket jangling as he went, "Yeah?"

"You going to look after my daughter?"

Any other time Hartley would have told her mother to leave Billy alone and stop messing around but the look on her face seemed pretty serious.

"Yes ma'am," he slipped his arm protectively around Hartley's waist and his jaw set squarely.

Tina nodded, "You know I gotta have some ground rules, right?"

"Mom –"

She held a finger up to silence her daughter, "You don't put her in danger and if you hurt her mentally or physically I'll come all the way back here and kick your sorry ass, I don't care how big you are. She wants for nothin' and she ain't gotta ask your permission for anythin' – she's her own woman and you gotta except that."

Billy nodded, "Yes ma'am."

"Good, now make yourself useful and get the last of the boxes from the stoop."

Hartley couldn't help but laugh as her mother's stern face softened a little, she knew Billy would be biting his tongue and wanting to make some smartass remark.

Tina took one last look at Hartley and smoothed a hand through her dark hair, "I love you sweetie, remember no matter what happens you always got a place with Dylan and me."

"Thanks ma," she smiled with watery eyes.

"You're good to go," Billy's deep voice met their ears.

The mother and daughter embraced tightly before Tina made her way over to the Chevy and slipped in to the driver's seat. Billy stood behind Hartley and slipped his arm around her waist, placing a soft kiss to her temple, the tears started flowing as Tina slowly backed out of the driveway and turned onto the road.

She stopped the car just as she was level with them and called out, "Oh, and Billy? Put a ring on her finger before you knock her up."

Hartley opened her mouth to laugh but a sob came out instead as Billy held her against his broad chest and the two watched her mother pull away and disappear into the distance. He gently turned her around to face him before he wiped her tears away with his thumbs and kissed her forehead, "Lets go home."


End file.
